[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by binand

Seems like I should finalize on Chamarajanagar-Gundlupet-Gudalur-Nilambur-Arekode-Calicut for my trip. Mine's looking more and more like to be on 25/12 with an early morning start.

Mine is also on 25th early morning. Targeting 4am. I assume that would be better than 24th noon which is also an option?

arjithin mentioned he was driving today and would update once he reaches.

The Theppakadu Gudalur stretch is the worry though. Known bad stretch or the potential of a block in the churam. Which to pick.

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

The Theppakadu Gudalur stretch is the worry though. Known bad stretch or the potential of a block in the churam. Which to pick.

I might have to drive down this route in a couple of weeks, will be great to have an update on the Theppekkadu - Gudalur stretch. How bad is it, considering that its not a very long stretch? I remember some fairly large potholes a few years back and my suspension was really put to test.

For some reason that stretch stays in bad shape most of the time.

Another option, if one isnt hard pressed for time, will be to go all the way to Bathery and turn left to enter Gudalur via Bitherkad etc... That way one can avoid the Wayanad ghat.

[sandsun7]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Just got this update. My nieces had gone for a school trip from Calicut to Wayanad/Mysore. They returned yesterday (22nd Night). Both of them were delayed in the churam for ~1.5 hours due to the road work.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Mine is also on 25th early morning. Targeting 4am. I assume that would be better than 24th noon which is also an option?

arjithin mentioned he was driving today and would update once he reaches.

The Theppakadu Gudalur stretch is the worry though. Known bad stretch or the potential of a block in the churam. Which to pick.

Now, that is what I was fearing!! Lets now wait for Arijith to Update the latest status. I am keeping the Salem-Cbe-Palakkad route as the back up option. Not considering Mudumalai-nadugani- Nilambur route at all. Lot of reports coming in about the stretch between Mudumalai and Gudalur being absolutely pathetic.

How about turning off from Bathery to Gudalur via Devarashola and continuing via Nadugani ghat? additional 21 kms or so, but the road I heard is good and very scenic.

EDIT: just read the post by Bigzero. Somehow missed reading it before posting this.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

Mine is also on 25th early morning. Targeting 4am. I assume that would be better than 24th noon which is also an option?

I too have that option (around 12 noon start from Bangalore on 24th) but then I'd be driving after sunset through Kerala, which I want to avoid. It is not a pleasant experience at all.

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj

The Theppakadu Gudalur stretch is the worry though. Known bad stretch or the potential of a block in the churam. Which to pick.

Originally Posted by Bigzero

will be great to have an update on the Theppekkadu - Gudalur stretch. How bad is it, considering that its not a very long stretch?

Originally Posted by sandsun7

Not considering Mudumalai-nadugani- Nilambur route at all. Lot of reports coming in about the stretch between Mudumalai and Gudalur being absolutely pathetic.

The Theppakadu-Gudalur stretch is (last trip was in April 2015) in shambles. But it is about 15 km or so and can be negotiated in my car (i10) in about 40 minutes with very careful driving. I even took my Civic through there once without any belly-scraping. One can expect to lose about 15 minutes in Gudalur town waiting for the signal at the junction where one turns right to enter Kerala. Overall, budget about 2 hours from the NH 212/NH 67 junction at Gudalur to the Nadugani turnoff towards Nilambur (approx. 60 km).

Originally Posted by Bigzero

Another option, if one isnt hard pressed for time, will be to go all the way to Bathery and turn left to enter Gudalur via Bitherkad etc... That way one can avoid the Wayanad ghat.

Originally Posted by sandsun7

How about turning off from Bathery to Gudalur via Devarashola and continuing via Nadugani ghat?

Google Maps says this is about 50 km extra to Calicut, which would mean approximately the same time increase the picnic party took to clear the churam. :-(

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by binand

Google Maps says this is about 50 km extra to Calicut, which would mean approximately the same time increase the picnic party took to clear the churam. :-(

I agree - its not much use to take this route to Calicut in that case.

As for me, I am going to Nilambur - so I guess it will be around 20+ km extra for me. Google maps shows a left turn after Muthanga, connecting on to the Bathery-Gudalur road, and then a right turn at Nellakkotta to connect to Devala, from where Nadugani is quite close.

I have no clue about the Nellakkotta - Devala road though. Scenic definitely, but condition, no clue...

[arjithin]

Originally Posted by arjithin

Will post an update after I reach CLT..mostly post 10 PM.

Update:

Start :12:45pm from Whitefield
2:50 PM @ kanakapura
5:30 PM @ Gundlupet
9:15 PM @ chathamangalam/REC

Only 20-25 mts of break for nature's call in between. One of the slowest drives for me in this route.

Getting out of Bangalore was a pain.
Inside Kerala, traffic was much higher than normal, due to Xmas and Milad Un Nabi evening. Typically trffic eases post 7.30 PM, but today everyone was literally on the road.

Churam traffic was another pain. Right now they are fixing the potholes in the hair pin bends and traffic is allowed only one way. All the commercial heavy vehicles( excluding buses) are diverted via alternative routes to avoid they getting stuck in the bends. Still traffic was at crawling speed from 6th hair pin bend till 1st both directions. Luckily traffic was moving when I came, but chances of a jam is very high. Policemen are on duty in every bends.

Edit: tomorrow being Nabidinam, expect lot more traffic during day time inside Kerala, especially Malappuram/Kozhikode districts. Suggest 25th early morning start than 24th afternoon start from Bangalore if that is an option.

[VindyWheels]

Hi, is this what you are talking about?

https://goo.gl/maps/xbsAS3vQUKS2

This is 29 kms more as per google map. 360km via Muthanga and 389 kms if you opt for this. And 355 kms for regular Bangalore-Mysore-Bandipur-Gudallur-Nilambur-Calicut.

Originally Posted by Bigzero

I agree - its not much use to take this route to Calicut in that case.

As for me, I am going to Nilambur - so I guess it will be around 20+ km extra for me. Google maps shows a left turn after Muthanga, connecting on to the Bathery-Gudalur road, and then a right turn at Nellakkotta to connect to Devala, from where Nadugani is quite close.

I have no clue about the Nellakkotta - Devala road though. Scenic definitely, but condition, no clue...

[binand]

Originally Posted by VindyWheels

Hi, is this what you are talking about?

https://goo.gl/maps/xbsAS3vQUKS2

This is 29 kms more as per google map. 360km via Muthanga and 389 kms if you opt for this. And 355 kms for regular Bangalore-Mysore-Bandipur-Gudallur-Nilambur-Calicut.

He was talking of the Nambikolli-Bitherkad-Gudalur route, not exactly the above one (it is the left turn instead of the right at Nambikolli after you turn off NH 212 at Muthanga). This route is longer.

Yours can be reduced a bit (3-4 km) if one were to come via Ambalamoola. In which case it is equal in terms of distance to the regular NH 212 route.

The big unknown is the road quality. That part of Kerala is not well known for good roads.

[mpksuhas]

Guess there are quiet few of us driving to Calicut on 25th morning.

I am planning of starting around 04:00 AM from Bellandur and take the NICE road - Mysore - Gundlupet - Kalpetta route.

Regarding the traffic blockage mentioned, one of my friends traveled last Sunday (before trucks were diverted) from Kalpetta to Calicut in bus. He reached near the view point on top of the ghats around 01.30 PM, due to a block caused by trucks getting stuck at hairpin bends it was around 03.30 PM when he reached Adivaram.

Another friend has traveled in an Innova from Bangalore - Calicut yesterday night, he did not face any issues in ghats.

My biggest worry is not about getting stuck tomorrow, but on my return journey on Monday.

[Rajeevraj]

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

Guess there are quiet few of us driving to Calicut on 25th morning.

I am planning of starting around 04:00 AM from Bellandur and take the NICE road - Mysore - Gundlupet - Kalpetta route.

Me too finalized on the exact same plan. I think there are 4-5 of us with the plan of a 4 am start 25th Morning. Maybe we should have a mini meet somewhere on the way .

Hopefully with the lorry traffic banned and police manning the ghats, there will not be any major blocks.

Maybe a good idea to exchange numbers also. Will initiate a PM

[arjithin]

This morning around 7 AM, there was a block of around 15 mts at 5th bend, both directions were a complete standstill ( info from a neighbour).

I observed that Google maps traffic was very accurate yesterday, the crawling start and stop points and speed indications where pretty accurate from Batheri till Koduvalli.

Originally Posted by mpksuhas

I am planning of starting around 04:00 AM from Bellandur and take the NICE road - Mysore - Gundlupet - Kalpetta route.

For 4 AM start the NICE road will take almost same time as BTM - Kanakapura road.

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by arjithin

For 4 AM start the NICE road will take almost same time as BTM - Kanakapura road.

I am taking Mysore road for the onward journey, not Kanakpura road.

However, yes as you mentioned taking NICE road does not have much time savings. However it helps in giving a stress free drive till Kengeri. By taking Hudson circle - Mysore road flyover road one has to navigate through potholes and moderate traffic.

[Bigzero]

Originally Posted by binand

He was talking of the Nambikolli-Bitherkad-Gudalur route, not exactly the above one (it is the left turn instead of the right at Nambikolli after you turn off NH 212 at Muthanga). This route is longer.

Yours can be reduced a bit (3-4 km) if one were to come via Ambalamoola. In which case it is equal in terms of distance to the regular NH 212 route.

The big unknown is the road quality. That part of Kerala is not well known for good roads.

Yes there seem to be many options to reach Nadugani from Muthanga, but as you mentioned the road quality could be an issue. Most of them could be small country roads, with a lot of twists and turns, across the various tea estates and plantations dotting that general area.

As I mentioned earlier, could be a great option if one isnt in a tearing hurry - I am pretty sure the route is going to be quite scenic. I had done the Kalpetta - Cherambadi - Nadugani route a few years back and it was fantastic in terms of the views it offered.

[ezee123]

Toss up between the Kanakpura road or the Mysore Road from Bangalore to Gundlepet.
Starting time 4AM on 25th - which is cleaner and faster and hassle free route.

Looks like lots of people traveling in the same direction.
Give a shout if you are headed that way

[mpksuhas]

Originally Posted by ezee123

Starting time 4AM on 25th - which is cleaner and faster and hassle free route.

For a 04:00 AM start, would suggest Mysore road. There will not be much traffic and you have few places to take break.